Comfort
by GwinMeldron
Summary: Edmund comforts Lucy after Tumnus dies.


Lucy sat on her bed, her heart brimming with sadness. She had never felt this way before, and not for this long. She hadn't known such a pain could exist. She felt like someone was stabbing a knife deep into her heart, in a repetitive, painful motion. She felt angry, hateful and distant. Edmund had tried to comfort her, many a time he had sat with her, usually in pure silence. She hadn't said a word for days, she didn't see the need. It was a waste of time and not worth the energy.

Edmund had never seen her like this. Even when there father had been sent off to war or when the Pevensies had been sent away for safety Lucy had cried on and off. But now, she didn't shed a tear. Not one, single tear. It hurt Edmund to see his little sister like this, sad and in pain. Although a young woman, she was still his baby sister, and she still needed protection. And what protection Edmund could give her, he would. But he wished desperately that she was just talk to him. If she would talk then Edmund could find out how she was really feeling.

"Come on Lucy, please tell me what's wrong."

Lucy gave a slight shake of head and said, "No." Her voice bitter and angry and it sounded as if she hadn't used her voice in while, which was in fact, the truth.

"I want to help."

"I don't need your help." Lucy replied.

"Yes, you do!" Edmund said as he sat on the bed next to his sister.

Lucy, in turn, stood up and walked away from her brother. "No, I don't! You don't understand! I need him!"

With those words, Lucy dropped to her knees and put her hands to her face. Edmund watched as the tears finally came, beginning their slow descent from her eyes to the ground, where they rested, cold and alone. Lucy's body shook as she cried, her shoulders shaking the hardest. It was as if she was trying to keep the tears in but couldn't.

Getting off of the bed, Edmund went to his sister and pulled her up off the floor. Gathering her in his arms, he pulled her close to his chest and said, "It's all right, go ahead and cry."

"I loved him!" Lucy wailed.

"I know, we all did."

Lucy held back the tears long enough to look up at her brother and say, "No, I mean, I loved him."

Edmund didn't understand at first but then it hit him."Oh, I see." Stroking her hair he said, "I'm so sorry Lucy, I didn't know."

"Nobody knew."

As Lucy leaned against him, Edmund thought about Tumnus. His death had been hard on everyone, but he hadn't realized how hard it had been on his sister. But now, after he had found out that Lucy loved him as more than a friend, he understood why she was heartbroken. She hadn't just loved the fawn, as most everyone who knew him did, but rather, she had been in love with him. Life was so cruel, to have taken him away from her so soon.

"Come on, lie down." Edmund said as he directed his sister to her bed. Pulling back the covers for her, he watched as she laid down. With a burning love for his sister in his heart he reached down and pulled the covers up around her. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, saying, "You need to get some rest. I'll come check in on you later."

Lucy nodded and said, "Thank you Edmund." As she closed her eyes. She had stopped crying but she still looked incredibly sad.

Edmund walked to the door and started to open it. Glancing over his shoulder, he gazed sympathetically at his sister. She was so strong, so brave. He knew if something like that happened to his own wife, he himself would die.

"I love you sis." He called out softly after a few minutes at staring at her still form.

She didn't respond and he hoped it meant she was asleep. Creeping out into the hall, Edmund closed the door quietly. He took a few lonely steps down the corridor but the stopped. Reaching out, he placed a hand on the wall beside him. He used the wall for support, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe. He panted quickly, trying to find his breath. He could feel the emotions he had fought to keep hidden fighting to be free and he covered his eyes with a hand. Standing up straight, he turned and leaned his back against the wall. He sighed and closed his eyes, still feeling like he might cry.

When his mind flashed back to all the times he had spent with Tumnus, he lost it. Sliding down the wall, Edmund sat on the ground, his knees up against his chest in a fetal position. He let the tears come now, flowing down his cheeks to fall on his tunic. Edmund cried for Tumnus, his death had been unexpected and painful, he cried for himself, for he had lost the best friend he ever had. But most of all, he cried for his sister, Lucy had lost so much more than just a friend. She had lost the love of her life, and that was not something one could easily get over.

Edmund looked up when he saw two pairs of boots in front of him. Peter and Susan were standing there, having just gotten back from a hunt. How they could hunt, he didn't know, but he did know everyone grieved in their own way. He was the one crying in the corridor.

Embarrassed, he started to wipe away the tears when Susan sat down next to him said, "It's all right. Go on and cry." Funny, that was what he had said to Lucy

Susan placed her arm on her younger brothers shoulder, giving him a hug. Peter sat down on the other side of Edmund and said, "How's Lucy doing?"

Edmund shook his head, wiping away the tears with a hand. "Not good. She told me that she was in love with him.''

Susan gasped quietly, "Oh, I didn't know."

"Nor I." Said Peter, arms crossed over his chest.

"It must be so hard for her." Susan spoke. "Should I go in there?"

"No, not right now Su. I told her to get some rest."

"Good idea." Said Peter. "She hasn't been sleeping much at night."

"How do you know?"

"Because she paces the corridor at night. Haven't you two heard her?" Peter asked his siblings. Edmund and Susan both shook their heads. "No, I haven't." Replied Susan.

"Well, you are a deep sleeper. But Ed, I thought you would have heard her at least."

"No, although I kind of wish I had."

"I feel so bad for her." Said Susan.

"Yeah." replied Peter. "This can't be easy for her."

"It's not." Came a whisper of a voice. The three oldest Pevensies all looked down the corridor to see Lucy standing there, a look of great sorrow on her face. Bare feet slapping on the floor, she went to her siblings and sat down. Peter wrapped her in his arms and pulled her closer, nestling her between him and gently, he said, "Edmund told me about you and Tumnus. I'm so sorry."

"I am too." Said Susan, leaning forward slightly so she could see her little sister.

Lucy nodded and said, "Thanks you guys."

Together they sat in the corridor, leaning on each other for strength. It wasn't until they had lost someone dear to them did they realize just how much they needed each other. Tragedies were never meant to be gotten through alone.


End file.
